Showing papers by "National Ocean Service published in 2000"

Mortality of sea lions along the central California coast linked to a toxic diatom bloom

Abstract: Over 400 California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) died and many others displayed signs of neurological dysfunction along the central California coast during May and June 1998. A bloom of Pseudo-nitzschia australis (diatom) was observed in the Monterey Bay region during the same period. This bloom was associated with production of domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxin1 that was also detected in planktivorous fish, including the northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), and in sea lion body fluids. These and other concurrent observations demonstrate the trophic transfer of DA resulting in marine mammal mortality. In contrast to fish, blue mussels (Mytilus edulus) collected during the DA outbreak contained no DA or only trace amounts. Such findings reveal that monitoring of mussel toxicity alone does not necessarily provide adequate warning of DA entering the food web at levels sufficient to harm marine wildlife and perhaps humans.

Marine algal toxins: origins, health effects, and their increased occurrence.

Abstract: Certain marine algae produce potent toxins that impact human health through the consumption of contaminated shellfish and finfish and through water or aerosol exposure. Over the past three decades, the frequency and global distribution of toxic algal incidents appear to have increased, and human intoxications from novel algal sources have occurred. This increase is of particular concern, since it parallels recent evidence of large-scale ecologic disturbances that coincide with trends in global warming. The extent to which human activities have contributed to their increase therefore comes into question. This review summarizes the origins and health effects of marine algal toxins, as well as changes in their current global distribution, and examines possible causes for the recent increase in their occurrence.

Effects of fishing on the structure and functioning of estuarine and nearshore ecosystems

Abstract: Estuaries and associated coastal waters support many essential fisheries, a fact which contributes to their disproportionately high economic value. They are, however, also among the most extensively modified and threatened of aquatic environments. Almost all have been strongly affected by human beings, and fisheries are an integral part of human activities on the coast. We have taken a global perspective in synthesizing the effects of fishing on estuaries and coastal waters. Rather than attempt to cover all regions of the world in detail, we review eight process-orientated categories affected by fishing, with case studies for each of them: target organisms, non-target organisms, nursery functions, trophic effects, habitat change, reduced water quality, human environment, and potential for local extinctions. Fishing in the estuarine and nearshore environment has clear impacts on the structure and functioning of these ecosystems, although other, non-fishing issues also effect these ecosystems. This creates multiple interactions and reinforces the need for an integrated approach to coastal zone management. Nonetheless, some form of fish-based action plan could be created, especially within estuaries, which would provide management objectives for a particular system.

Domoic acid production near California coastal upwelling zones, June 1998

Abstract: Sea lion mortalities in central California during May and June 1998 were traced to their ingestion of sardines and anchovies that had accumulated the neurotoxin domoic acid. The detection of toxin in urine, feces, and stomach contents of several sea lions represents the first proven occurrence of domoic acid transfer through the food chain to a marine mammal. The pennate diatoms, Pseudo-nitzschia multiseriesand P. australis, were the dominant, toxinproducing phytoplankton constituting algal blooms near Monterey Bay, Half Moon Bay, and Oceano Dunes, areas where sea lions with neurological symptoms stranded. Toxic Pseudo-nitzschia were also found near Morro Bay, Point Conception, Point Arguello, and Santa Barbara, demonstrating that these species were widespread along the central California coast in June 1998. Measurements of domoic acid during three cruises in early June showed the )†

Modelling Oyster Population Response to Variation in Freshwater Input

Abstract: This paper describes the linkage of a three-dimensional hydrodynamic circulation model with descriptive and experimental biological data concerning oyster ( Crassostrea virginica ) population dynamics in the Apalachicola Estuary (Florida, U.S.A.). Our intent was to determine the direct and indirect role of Apalachicola River flow in the maintenance of oyster production. Results of a monthly field sampling programme conducted on the oyster reefs in the Apalachicola system during 1985–1986 were used to develop statistical models relating several life-history characteristics of oysters to physical-chemical aspects of water quality. The same life-history characteristics were related statistically to output from a circulation model of Apalachicola Bay. Highest oyster densities and overall bar growth were found in the vicinity of the confluence of high salinity water moving westwards from St George Sound and river-dominated (low salinity) water moving south and eastwards from East Bay. With the exception of models for oyster mortality, the predictive capability of results from the parallel modelling efforts was low. A time-averaged model was developed for oyster mortality during the summer of 1985 by running a regression analysis with averaged predictors derived from the hydrodynamic model and observed (experimental) mortality rates throughout the estuary. A geographic information system was then used to depict the results spatially and to compare the extent of expected mortality in 1985 and 1986. High salinity, relatively low-velocity current patterns, and the proximity of a given oyster bar to entry points of saline Gulf water into the bay were important factors that contribute to increased oyster mortality. Mortality was a major determinant of oyster production in the Apalachicola Estuary with predation as a significant aspect of such mortality. By influencing salinity levels and current patterns throughout the bay, the Apalachicola River was important in controlling such mortality. Oyster production rates in the Apalachicola system depend on a combination of variables that are directly and indirectly associated with freshwater input as modified by wind, tidal factors, and the physiography of the bay. River flow reduction, whether through naturally occurring droughts, through increased upstream anthropogenous (consumptive) water use, or a combination of the two, could have serious adverse consequences for oyster populations. By coupling hydrodynamic modelling with descriptive and experimental biological data, we were able to determine the effects of potential freshwater diversions on oyster production in Apalachicola Bay.

Review of stress in marine mammals

Abstract: There has been a growing concern over the last few decades about theeffects of environmental stress, including anthropogenic impacts, onmarine mammals. This paper provides an overview of the wide range ofanthropogenic stressors that marine mammals may encounter and the levelof understanding on their potential effects. Sources of stress andphysiological responses of the animals are explored. Many of the lifehistory traits of marine mammals (i.e., long-life spans, late maturity,relatively low reproductive potential, and feeding high in the foodchain), make them susceptible to various anthropogenic stressors. Sincemarine mammals are exposed to a diverse array of multiple stressors,this paper focuses on three case studies (acute and chronic effects fromoil spills; chronic effects from environmental contaminants, andfishery-induced stress) to emphasize potential relevant hazards and toprovide a perspective on the use of marine mammals in assessingecosystem health. Additional research to enhance our understanding ofstress on marine mammals and to provide the science needed to guidemanagement decisions is recommended.

Epizootiology of the parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium sp. in the American blue crab Callinectes sapidus

Abstract: Hematodinium sp. is a parasitic dinoflagellate that infects and kills blue crabs Callinectes sapidus. Periodic outbreaks of dinoflagellate infections with subsequent high host mortalities prompted a study of the epizootiology and distribution of the crab pathogen. Hemolymph samples from over 13000 crabs were assessed for infections over 8 yr. Moderate to high prevalences were found at several locations along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. In the coastal bays of Maryland and Virginia, prevalence followed a seasonal pattern, with a sharp peak in late autumn. Infections were significantly more prevalent in crabs measuring less than 30 mm carapace width; host sex did not influence prevalence. Prevalences were highest in crabs collected from salinities of 26 to 30%o; no infected crabs were found in salinities below 11%o. Intensity of infection did not vary among crab sizes, molt stages, or sexes. Naturally and experimentally infected crabs died over 35 and 55 d in captivity, with a mean time to death of approximately 13 and 42 d, respectively. Several other crustaceans, including gammaridean amphipods, xanthid (mud) crabs, and the green crab Carcinus maenus, were found with Hematodinium-like infections. Considering its widespread distribution and high pathogenicity, we suggest that Hematodinium sp. represents a significant threat to blue crab populations in high salinity estuaries along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the USA.

Permanent and functional male-to-female sex reversal in d-rR strain medaka (Oryzias latipes) following egg microinjection of o,p'-DDT.

Abstract: Complete sex reversal of fish is accomplished routinely in aquaculture practices by exposing fish to exogenous sex steroids during gonadal differentiation. A variety of environmental chemicals are also active at sex steroid receptors and theoretically possess the potential to alter normal sexual differentiation in fish. However, in controlled environmental chemical exposures to date, only partial alterations of fish sexual phenotype have been observed. Here we report complete, permanent, and functional male-to-female sex reversal in the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes, d-rR strain) after a onetime embryonic exposure to the xenoestrogen o, p'-DDT. d-rR strain medaka are strict gonochorists that possesses both sex-linked pigmentation, which distinguishes genotypic sex, and sexually dimorphic external secondary sexual characteristics, which distinguish phenotypic sex. We directly microinjected the xenoestrogen o, p'-DDT into the egg yolks of medaka at fertilization to parallel the maternal transfer of lipophilic contaminants to the embryo. At 10 weeks of age, microinjected medaka were examined for mortality and sex reversal. A calculated embryonic dose of 511 +/- 22 ng/egg o, p'-DDT (mean +/- standard error) resulted in 50% mortality. An embryonic exposure of 227 +/- 22 ng/egg o, p'-DDT resulted in 86% (6 of 7) sex reversal of genetic males to a female phenotype (XY females). XY females were distinguished by sex-linked male pigmentation accompanying female secondary sexual characteristics. Histologic examination of the gonads confirmed active ovaries in 100% of the XY females. In 10-day breeding trials in which XY females were paired with normal XY males, 50% of the XY females produced fertilized embryos; this represents a comparable breeding success rate to normal XX females. Fertilized eggs produced from XY females hatched to viable larvae. These results clearly indicate that a weakly estrogenic pesticide, o, p'-DDT, when presented during the critical period of gonadal development, can profoundly alter sexual differentiation.

Trends in Indicators of Eutrophication in Western Long Island Sound and the Hudson-Raritan Estuary

Abstract: Significant improvements in water quality have been observed for several decades throughout much of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, primarily as a result of regional abatement of municipal and industrial discharges. These improvements include area-wide, order-of-magnitude reductions in ambient coliform concentrations and significant increases in dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations. In contrast to these improvements, DO in bottom waters of the western Long Island Sound (WLIS) appears to have decreased in the last two decades. Although there is no consensus as to why hypoxia in WLIS may have recently become more severe, several related hypotheses have been suggested, including an increase in eutrophication, increased density stratification, and changes in wastewater loads. To determine if eutrophication has increased in WLIS, trends in several indicators of eutrophication were examined from a long-term water quality data set. Since the mid-1980s surface DO supersaturation has increased, bottom minimum DO has decreased, and vertical DO stratification has increased in WLIS. Other areas of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, such as Jamaica Bay and Raritan Bay, exhibit similar evidence of declining water quality and may be experiencing increasing eutrophication. Temporal changes in vertical density stratification indicate that surface to bottom temperature differences have increased to a greater extent and have had a more significant impact on bottom DO depletion in WLIS than in the shallower Jamaica Bay and Raritan Bay. Additional factors contributing to the observed decline in water quality include recent changes in wastewater loads and possible increases in upstream and nonpoint source loads.

Sediment quality of North Carolina estuaries: an integrative assessment of sediment contamination, toxicity, and condition of benthic fauna

Abstract: Sediment quality of North Carolina estuaries was evaluated using synoptic data on sediment chemistry, toxicity, and macroinfaunal community structure from 175 subtidal stations sampled during the summers of 1994–1997. The study area included Currituck, Albemarle, and Pamlico Sounds; estuarine portions of major rivers (e.g., Chowan, Roanoke, Tar-Pamlico, Neuse, New, Cape Fear); and numerous smaller tributaries and coastal embayments between the Virginia and South Carolina borders. A probabilistic sampling design permitted statistical estimation of the spatial extent of degraded versus non-degraded condition across these estuaries. Over half (54 ± 7%) of the surveyed area had high sediment quality characterized by healthy benthic assemblages and low levels of sediment contamination and toxicity. The remaining 46% showed evidence of significant stress in one or more of the above sediment-quality-triad components. While this is a sizable area, portions of it (27 ± 6%) were represented by sites with no connection between presence of stressors and adverse biological responses. Only 19% of the total area showed evidence of an impaired benthos coupled to significant pollution exposure (high sediment contamination, toxicity, or both). Impaired benthic condition was more closely linked to sediment contamination than to low dissolved oxygen (based on instantaneous oxygen measurements). The most pervasive contaminants were the metals arsenic, mercury, chromium, and nickel; the pesticides lindane, dieldrin, DDT, and DDT derivatives; and total PCBs. Degraded condition in all three components of the sediment quality triad co-occurred in <10% of the study area, suggesting that strong contaminant-induced effects on the benthos are limited to a small (yet ecologically significant) percentage of total estuarine area. The spatial extent of sediment contamination and toxicity was much less in these estuaries in comparison to other U.S. coastal regions where similar studies have been performed.

The Ages of Large Amplitude Coastal Seiches on the Caribbean Coast of Puerto Rico

Abstract: Using a process denoted here as the empirical mode decomposition and the Hilbert spectral analysis, the ages of the seiches on the Caribbean coast of Puerto Rico are determined from their dispersion characteristics with respect to time. The ages deduced from this method are less than a day; therefore, the seiches could be locally generated.

16S rRNA Targeted Probes for the Identification of Bacterial Strains Isolated from Cultures of the Toxic Dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense.

Abstract: Bacteria have been implicated in the production of paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) toxins, which are normally associated with bloom-forming algal species, specifically toxic dinoflagellate algae. To clarify the role that these bacteria may play in the production of PSP toxins, it is desirable to identify and localize the bacteria associated with the dinoflagellates. 16S rRNA-targeted probes offer the possibility for both, and thus, probes have been made to putatively toxigenic bacteria isolated from the PSP-related dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense and tested for their specificity in dot blot and in situ hybridization experiments.

Analysis of extracellular proteins of two Perkinsus spp. isolated from the softshell clam Mya arenaria in vitro

Abstract: Biochemical characterization of the extracellular proteins (ECP) of two softshell clam Perkinsus spp. cloned isolates, Perkinsus chesapeaki isolate G-117 and Perkinsus marinus H-49, was performed and compared to that of the oyster-derived P. marinus isolate P-1. G-117 and H-49 demonstrated distinct differences in enzyme activities; however, all three isolates shared common bands. Substrate-impregnated gels showed H-49 to possess proteolytic activities while G-117 did not. Inhibition studies revealed that H-49 ECP contain serine proteases similar to those described for P-1. The G-117 ECP lacked proteolytic activity but showed a higher production of lipolytic enzymes than H-49 or P-1. Optimal in vitro growth temperatures for the two clam isolates were generally lower than those for P-1. G-117 showed faster growth at lower salinities than either H-49 or P-1. Clam Perkinsus spp. isolates appear to be better adapted to lower salinities and temperatures than the P. marinus isolate of the eastern oyster.

Identification of a cyclic amp‐dependent protein kinase in the dinoflagellate amphidinium operculatum

Abstract: Cyclic AMP is an important signaling molecule in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In eukaryotes, the action of cyclic AMP is mediated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Efforts to identify PKA in dinoflagellates have met with mixed success in previous studies. In Amphidinium operculatum, we have identified the presence of cAMP, and observed cell cycle inhibition by the cAMP pathway inhibitor, isobutyl methylxanthine, suggesting the presence of a eukaryotic cAMP pathway. However, crude lysates of A. operculatum failed to show in vitro kinase activity toward kemptide, a specific substrate of mammalian PKA. This may reflect the presence of unidentified low molecular weight inhibitors, because when cell lysates were fractionated by gel filtration chromatography, cAMP dependent kinase activity was identified. The molecular weight of this PKA was 66 kDa, much smaller than bovine PKA (250 kDa), but similar to that reported in the diatom Cylindrotheca (78 kDa). Current work is focusing on characterization of subunit structure of the PKA of A. operculatum, as compared with bovine PKA.

Cell cycle regulators in the florida red tide dinoflagellate, gymnodinium breve

Abstract: The diel cycle is a key regulator of the cell cycle in many dinoflagellates, and may play a rate limiting role in bloom formation. Diel phasing of the cell cycle in the Florida red tide dinoflagellate, Gymnodinium breve Davis was previously described in our laboratory. In cultures grown on a 16:8 light:dark cycle, S-phase began 6–8 h into the light phase, and mitosis followed 12–14 h later. The dark/light “dawn” transition was found to provide the diel cue that serves to entrain the G. breve cell cycle. However the cell cycle mechanisms and regulators acted upon by this cue are poorly understood in dinoflagellates. The cell cycle regulatory complex, CDK1-cyclinB, is therefore currently being investigated. Cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) was first identified in G. breve using two approaches: (1) identification of a 34 kDa protein immunoreactive to an antibody raised against a conserved amino acid sequence unique to the CDK protein family (PSTAIR) and (2) inhibition of the cell cycle by olomoucine, a selective CDK inhibitor. Several approaches are currently being employed in order to describe its partner, cyclin B: (1) PCR on genomic DNA with primers deduced from known cyclin box sequences, (2) G. breve expression library screening with an antibody raised against the fission yeast cyclin B (3) western blot analysis on whole protein extracts and cyclin B immunoprecipitated proteins. Current work focuses on the differential expression of the cyclin B homologue in G. breve during its cell cycle and its relation to diel cycle control.